The Real Deal
by Mindy35
Summary: CASKETT and more. Post-ep for "Til Death Do Us Part". She was never much of a wedding girl. But this one might convert her.


Title: The Real Deal

Author: mindy35

Rating: K+, nothing offensive, just schmaltz

Disclaimer: Characters belong to A. W. Marlowe, et al. Lyrics are from "No One Here" by The 88 and are used without permission. No infringement intended on either. No money made.

Spoilers: thru' to "Til Death Do Us Part".

Pairings: Castle/Beckett, Esposito/Lanie, Ryan/Jenny, Jim & Johanna Beckett

Summary: Post-ep for "Til Death Do Us Part". Kate was never much of a wedding girl. But this one might convert her.

A/N: My 200th fanfic (and it's songfic… *headslap*!). I got a bit lazy with posting my "30 Rock" fics so you'll just have to take my word for it that this is #200. Or you can check out the list below. But a very big thankyou to those who have been reading for so long, whatever pairing I might choose. And thanks to all those who take the time to review. Also, if you don't know it already, then I urge you to seek out this song as a companion to this story. If you do, put it on while you read…

-x-x-x-

"_My love, _

_But there's no one here who loves you like I do _

_Thank God this much is true _

_Thank God this much is true _

_And there's no one here who knows just how I feel _

_Thank God this much is real _

_Thank God this much is real…"_

-x-x-x-

She was never much of a wedding girl.

She wasn't lying when she told Castle that she'd never torn a picture of a wedding gown out of a magazine. She never even gave those masses of magazines a second glance. She just wasn't the type to go all gaga over floral centrepieces and cutesy pictorials. She wasn't the type to care about six different shades of pink. Pink was pink as far as she was concerned. It wasn't that she didn't believe in marriage. Or that Kate didn't harbour a secret romantic side. Because she did. But her definition of romantic was far more everyday. Her definition involved waking up to the same face every single morning as it aged and changed, sharing that first coffee with the same person and knowing that whatever the day might bring – and Kate Beckett had had some pretty unpredictable days in her time – that was the person who would be joining you in bed that night. And every night, for the foreseeable future. To her, that meant much more than a whole closet full of frothy white dresses or the biggest, swankiest party in the world. She was all about the years that followed, not one fleeting, fabulous day.

Her outlook was probably due to the example her parents had set. She knew their backstory as well as she knew her own. She knew her mother and father had engaged in a wary, tempestuous dance in the first few years of their acquaintance. Her mother had initially been sceptical about her father. He'd had to prove himself. Which he did, over and over, until both of them recognized that what they'd stumbled into so blindly was nothing short of the real deal. It was a realization they'd never let go of in all their years of marriage. Kate had been witness to that from a young age, she'd witnessed the very best of marriage. And how it could unite two people who challenged, surprised, believed in and loved each other deeply. Two people, however opposite, who made the unswerving decision to do that, to be that for one another every day they awoke.

It was why the memory of her mother was such an intensely bittersweet subject for her father. Because as much as her loss broke his heart and robbed his future, while they were married – while Johanna lived – they loved each other truly and showed it. They lived a happy and fulfilled life together, with few real regrets. Their marriage wasn't perfect, no marriage was. They bickered, they disagreed, they irritated each other beyond belief. But beneath all the poking and prodding was affection, humor and a deep and abiding commitment to each other's happiness. Their love taught Kate all she needed to know, all she wanted to create in her own relationships. It was not an easy example to live up to, she was finding out. But, like her mother, she was a stubborn creature by nature. So when it came to matrimony, Kate Beckett would not be settling for anything less than the real deal.

She could always tell the couples who possessed it. That special thing that everyone looks for but not all are lucky enough to find. She could spot them on the street, pick them out of a line-up if necessary, although hopefully it wouldn't be. Perhaps it was part of her detective mindset, perhaps it was simply due to being a single woman in New York City. Perhaps it was her secret romanticism or her status as a veteran bridesmaid that made her take note whenever she saw it. It was never the couples who were making a big show of their love, proclaiming it loudly to the world with lavish PDAs. It was not the couple boasting the biggest diamond or telling the most inventive meet-cute tale. Rather, there was a special glow about the people who'd found it. An ease, a completion, a found-ness.

It's what she'd seen from the first time Ryan introduced them all to Jenny. They had that glow, that quiet, contented aura. And it was especially evident on their wedding day. Which may be one reason why this particular wedding was getting to her more than any other wedding she'd attended. She did not generally find weddings to be pleasurable or poignant experiences. In fact, as a bridesmaid, she'd found them both stressful and hypocritical. Despite these past experiences though, and despite the fact that Kate did not generally consider herself to be a wedding kind of girl – theirs might just convert her. Kevin and Jenny's nuptials had overflowed with love and warmth and complete confidence, and she couldn't help but feel touched by it. Her reaction was not something that had gone unnoticed by her plus one for the event either. But then, nothing ever did. Nothing got by Rick Castle. He noticed everything. Earlier, he'd noticed the dress she'd bought for the wedding:

"Nice dress," he'd commented as he'd walked her down the aisle.

"Thanks," she'd replied with a sidelong smile.

"Nice perfume," he'd added as they shuffled sideways into one of the pews. "Not your usual. But I like it. It's very, um, spicy. Is it new?"

"A gift," she'd said as she sat. "From Lanie, before you ask."

"Ah," he nodded and took a seat beside her. "So no secret admirers that I should know about then?"

"Well…the man at my favorite Chinese take-out place tells me on a weekly basis that I'm a beautiful, beautiful lady," she said, taking in the flower-bedecked chapel. "But I'm pretty sure it's in order to maintain repeat business." She leant closer to Castle to add, "Also, he's ninety-three and has been married for over sixty years so…"

Castle humphed a low, "Scoundrel…" then sat a little straighter as the Wedding March began to play, heralding Jenny's imminent arrival. "But, wow. Sixty years, huh?"

"Yeah," she whispered, craning her neck to catch a glimpse of the bride over his shoulder. "His wife says he makes the best Salt and Pepper Squid in New York though."

"What more could a girl want?" he mumbled before the population of the chapel rose to their collective feet. "Nice shoes, by the way," he added, taking the opportunity to let his eyes skate up her bare legs. "Nice…lack of pantyhose. Or stockings..."

Kate elbowed him. "Shhh, Castle. And eyes up. House of God."

He nodded, eyes snapping front and center. "Right."

Of course, another reason why this wedding felt more significant than all the others she'd attended might well have been his presence. Rick Castle. Her impromptu plus one. Not that they'd been fooling anyone really. Even when Castle was bringing his daughter, they were still going to end up spending most of the evening in each other's company. It was simply understood at this point. The heavy pretence they used to function under had worn so thin of late that it was now just a sheer veil that barely concealed how they felt about each other and where they were ultimately headed. Which was fine by her. She was done hiding from Rick Castle, done denying the promise that had always existed between them. She wanted him to know that that promise would one day come good. She wanted him to know she'd be his, she was his. She wanted to be honest about just how close they were to the inevitable. She wanted to be honest about everything. A brush with death will do that to a girl. That, and lots and lots of therapy.

Her recent revelations on the subject of them, however, made her uncomfortably aware of him during the ceremony. Truthfully, she was always aware of Castle. He had a physicality she found fascinating. It was large and vital and more than a little distracting. While at work, she unconsciously kept tabs on his whereabouts. This was partly for his safety. And partly not. Over the years, it had just become habit. She always knew where Castle was and, more specifically, where he might be in relation to her. It never escaped her notice when he stood close to her or touched her, even if the touch was meaningless. Not that anything between them was these days. Every little thing carried infinite meaning now. And while her awareness of him had recently increased tenfold, she'd never felt quite so aware of him as when they were sitting in that narrow pew, side by side, the outside of her thigh pressed against the outside of his. She could feel him breathing, feel his body-heat. She could feel him shifting in his seat with every mention of the L-word and couldn't help but wonder whether his restlessness was due to his unresolved marriage issues. Or whether, like her, the bride and groom's vows seemed just a little too pertinent to the constantly growing feelings he held for the person beside him.

It had been a minor relief to escape the chapel for the reception hall. But uncomfortable turned into something else altogether when Castle decided to guide her everywhere with one warm hand on the small of her back. He never did that when they were on a case and she was privately glad. She wasn't sure she could handle the zing that ran up her spine on a daily basis. Just one night of it was testing her composure. Castle had been taking every opportunity to open doors for her and hold her chair and refill her glass and play guardian to her purse. It was a side of him she knew existed, that old-fashioned, chivalrous side. But she'd never allowed herself to be so totally charmed by it. Not until tonight. On this night, Castle couldn't have been more charming. And she couldn't have been more charmed.

The champagne he kept plying her with was not helping either. Champagne always made her sentimental and a little teary. She didn't want to be the weepy girl at the wedding, it was too embarrassingly cliché. It simply had to be the champagne that was making her eyes moist as her newly hitched colleague guided his smiling bride onto the dance floor for their first dance as husband and wife. Just as it had to be that pre-wedding detox they'd done that was making both of them look so radiant. Both did admit to cheating though – Ryan with peer-pressured Chinese food, Jenny with her favorite pastries – so maybe their glow was entirely to do with them sealing the deal on their own personal real deal. The glow did seem to shine brightest whenever they looked at each other, which was pretty much all the time. They hadn't taken their eyes off each other for the entire dance and as a new one started, they refused to let go of their new spouse, choosing instead to break with tradition and remain in each other's embrace.

Standing on the outskirts of the dance floor beside her faithful shadow, Kate took another sip of champagne and tried not to let the lilting melody and sentimental lyrics of the song get to her. She remembered this song. Some weeks ago, high on wedding plans and seeking his friend's opinions, Ryan had brought to work a CD of possible wedding songs that he and Jenny had put together. Somehow, she wasn't sure how, the thing ended up in her car. Which made for a particularly awkward moment when, late one night as she and Castle were staking out some slum, the love song currently playing had infiltrated a lapse in their conversation. She'd punched the button to turn it off but not before the lyrics had penetrated the stuffy air surrounding them. Castle had shot her a smug little smirk, seeming to both relish and sympathize with her discomfort. Kate suspected that he was attempting to do the same at that moment but she refused to meet his gaze. Instead, she kept her eyes trained on the other couples joining the newlyweds, filling the space with swaying bodies and clasped hands.

Her gaze drifted from couple to couple, examining their expressions and body language, all of which yielded to her a plethora of intimate information that each pairing was unaware of broadcasting. But with one look, she could tell who'd had a fight before the ceremony, who'd been dragged along unwillingly when they'd prefer to be off golfing with their buddies, who had a crush on whom, who'd had too much to drink and who among them had that whole lucky-glowy thing happening. From the corner of her eye, she was unsurprised to see Esposito approaching Lanie with an uncertain but resolute look on his face. Last she saw Lanie's date, he was chatting with a built waiter about gym routines. Meanwhile, Javier's date had found company unrelated to her almost instantly and hadn't been seen since. Much like her and Castle, Lanie and Esposito were fooling no one, not even themselves. As the band's singer crooned about putting things behind you, Esposito offered Lanie his hand and gave a cocky half-bow. Lanie smiled, considered, made him wait an extra moment, then put her hand in his, letting him lead her onto the floor.

Kate smiled to herself and, as the singer murmured something about growing old and not forgetting, her gaze shifted from her slow-dancing colleagues to Ryan's grey-haired parents. The older couple couldn't help but remind her of her own parents and all they'd missed out on. It was not a new thought to her. Often at these things, she wondered what her mom would look like now, how she would do her hair and what she might wear. She had one very clear memory of her parents dancing together. She was much younger. As were they. And all she remembered was the stillness between them. They barely moved as her dad clasped his wife's hand in his over his heart. At one point, he whispered something in her ear which made her throw back her head with light, peeling laughter. In that memory, everything was soft and golden and glowing. In that memory, nothing could possibly part them.

Choosing that moment to interrupt her reverie, Castle entered her field of vision, peering at her with a small smile on his lips. He didn't need to ask what was going on in her head. He knew. Or could guess. His eyes ran over her face, silently gauging her mood, then his smile increased. Kate rolled her eyes and whacked him with the back of her hand, aware that both gestures betrayed her affection. Castle didn't say a word. He just stole her champagne flute from her other hand, laid it aside with his then held out his hand to her. Kate sniffed back her champagne-induced emotion and placed her hand in his. Just the slide of his hand against hers did unearthly things to do her. How that was possible she didn't know. But if the zing she felt earlier when he touched her back was anything to go by, dancing with Rick Castle was going to be…an experience. The song was kicking into high gear, the singer belting out lyrics about showing someone how things would end. But as Kate wove her way through the crowded dance floor, she felt a little tug on her hand. Castle had stopped, he was not following her. He gave her hand a sharper tug, pulling her back to where he stood.

"Would you let me lead?" he demanded, brows crumpled but eyes sparkling. "Please?"

She gave a shrug. "Hey, you're the man, Castle."

"Yes. I am," he replied pointedly. "And you are–"

She tipped her head at him. "Go on."

"A beautiful, beautiful lady," he finished in some sort of nondescript accent. He waggled his brows at her, lifted her hand over her head and twirled her round once. "Who eats way too much take-out."

She gave a giggle and he drew her in, his free hand curling about her waist. He held her close but not too close, careful to leave some distance between their bodies. The only other time they'd danced together, he hadn't been shy about pressing her right up against him. It had been a blatant excuse for him to cop a feel of her in that fantasy dress of his and both of them knew it. Not that she'd minded too much. She had her scorn to protect her then and an arsenal of quips. No such quips were coming now. Nor was any protection warranted. Because everything was different now. Things had been so much simpler back then. There'd been a pull between them, a deeply powerful pull, but not the same intensity. The intensity that now pulsed between them daily was almost unbearable when there weren't words of love thumping through the air, when they weren't being bumped closer by the couples surrounding them, when they didn't have their hands in relatively innocent places that they were nonetheless never normally allowed to venture. As it was, as they were, that intensity was enough to leave her breathless, motionless, mindless.

Kate could feel the tension in his body too, billowing off Castle in thick, uncertain waves. Until he leaned in to mutter something smart-assed in her ear about an adjacent couple and the unashamed ass-cupping that was going on not far from them. Kate glanced over her shoulder and laughed softly. It felt good, that tiny release. The discomfort left her body and his. She felt herself relax against him, felt him relax under her touch. She let her arm slide a little further over his shoulder, let him guide her that little bit closer, let her body fall into a rhythm of his choosing. One large hand was smoothing over her spine, up and down in time to the music, lulling her into some sort of blissful stupor. But it halted when the words of the song began to speak of tearing down walls and being the one to come whenever called. Her eyes rose to his, locked with his and seemed powerless to tear themselves away.

His face, usually so jovial, was fixed in a soft, serious expression. It was an expression she'd seen Richard Castle wear only a few times and it never failed to stun her. But rather than turning away from it and the depth of feeling behind it, this time, Kate held his gaze. She lifted her chin and looked right back at him, feeling her eyes soften and her lips curve upwards. She let the words of the chorus wash over her, she let them filter into all the spaces were their bodies did not meet without resisting their truth. A minor shock spread across the face of her dance partner and his hand tightened around hers. He still wasn't used to her looking at him like that, letting him see how she really felt. Something about that shock, his utter amazement at her returning his love, made her disclosure all the more gratifying. It also impelled her to be braver in love than she'd ever experienced herself be before.

So as the song quieted, she flicked her gaze to their joined hands. She unclasped hers from his, slowly sliding her palm against his until it stood upright. Castle mirrored the movement, pressing his larger palm flat against hers, his fingers towering over hers. She examined their kissing palms a moment then weaved her fingers between his. And as his fingers complied, she erased the last of the distance separating them, at the same time erasing the last of the pretence they'd been rather pointlessly upholding all evening. It was impossible to be this close to him and pretend that all he was was friend, co-worker, inconvenient tag-along. Impossible to deny all they both so desperately desired and always had. Impossible to pretend that those three words that'd haunted her since that fateful day on the grass didn't inform every little thing they now did, said, felt. Impossible not to let their future as lovers leak a little into this special, stolen moment. Faced with such impossibilities, Kate allowed her body take anchor against his. She let her cheek rest on his jacket-covered shoulder, her scarred chest meet his broad one and her hips join with his. Castle let out a long sigh, his head dropping down against hers, his lips finding the small hollow at the base of her skull and just resting there, his breath disturbing her hair with each exhale.

"Kate," he murmured after a long moment in which all they did was sway and breathe.

"Hmm?" She did not move. She did not want to move. Not ever.

"Nothing," he murmured after another languid pause.

With great effort, she moved. She lifted her head from his shoulder to check his face, to see if there was something he wasn't saying. Apart from the obvious, of course. Their natural state had become a constant withholding of their most important truths from each other. But, as both of them had learnt from her job, the truth would eventually emerge. If not directly, then obliquely. The two of them had become masters of oblique communication. Which worked well enough. For now.

Castle just smiled at her. "Nothing. Really," he said, answering her quizzical expression. "It's just…this is…"

"Nice?" she suggested, echoing his earlier compliments.

The word was beyond inadequate. They both knew how laughably insufficient the word was. And perhaps if she hadn't had quite so much champagne and if he didn't have her pressed against him from head to foot and if so many more meaningful words were not being held hostage deep inside their respective wounds, one of them might come up with a better one. Just then though, words were not high on their list of priorities. Neither were they very necessary when a greater, more physical honesty was occurring beneath them. So Castle, despite his zest for accurate word usage, let the word stand. He gave her a lazy grin and a little nod then lifted the hand knit with his to his other shoulder. Kate followed his lead, letting both her arms drape about his shoulders as both of his hands claimed the territory of her back. He touched her with such relish, such underlying curiosity and undisguised love that she couldn't help a soft moan emanating from her throat as her head returned to the spot it had claimed on his shoulder. In this position, she could feel his heart beat against her, feel the material of his pants brush her bare leg with every step they took. And his mouth, his warm breath was back in that little nook at the peak of her neck.

It was more than nice. It was most intense, most incredible, most overwhelming and most satisfying feeling she'd felt since…she could remember. Or since the night she'd kissed Rick Castle, the night he'd kissed her like she'd never been kissed in all her life.

The song was winding down but Kate prayed that they wouldn't have to pull apart just yet. Not when they'd just found their way there. Her prayer was answered as a new song overlapped with the last one, allowing her and her plus one to stay exactly where they wanted to be. Castle sang-muttered some of the sappy, well-known lyrics, lips plucking at her hair. She chuckled softly in response. Not because it was so very funny but because she was so very happy. At the same time, one of the tears that had been threatening to fall all evening trickled out of her eyes and landed on his jacket. She clutched him tighter and felt her heart swell with emotion. She felt like crying and laughing all at once and saying many, many things. Things that were so close to the surface now. Things that one day would be allowed to break free and live out in the open where they belonged. Things that one day may even become assumed knowledge for them both.

Because one day, not very far from this day, she would finally allow herself to speak her heart's desire. Who knew, she might even proclaim it in front of family and friends, claiming her real deal for life. She might be one half of one of those lucky, glowing couples. She might wear white and exchange rings and slow dance with a man who'd proven himself to her over and over. A man who brought her coffee without being asked, made her smile when she least expected it and shared her unending passion for her work. A man who made her day more fun and more full. A man who challenged, surprised, believed in and loved her. As she challenged, surprised, believed in and loved him.

It wasn't something she'd be admitting anytime soon but spending the evening with Rick Castle at her side had Kate wondering whether she was more of a wedding kind of girl than she'd previously thought. She still wasn't interested in pink and all its various shades. She would never be the type to walk down the aisle in a meringue. She didn't require all the cutesy trappings or fashionable extravagances. She was a simple girl at heart.

All she really needed was the right partner.

_END._

Here they all are:...

1. "Morning of the Iguana"

2. "Involved"

3. "New Year's Resolutions"

4. "The Truth About Cats and Dogs"

5. "Big Fish"

6. "Clarification"

7. "Further Clarification"

8. "How Gibbs Knows (About The Tattoo)"

9. "Here's Lookin' at You, Kid"

10. "Any Day Now"

11. "Sarsaparilla"

12. "Fortune Cookie"

13. "Two Feet"

14. "He Remembers"

15. "Lost Cause"

16. "Inamorata"

17. "Surprise, Surprise"

18. "Anything"

19. "Gibbs' Golden Girl"

20. "Third Time Lucky"

21. "The Prettiest Thing"

22. "Sufficient Provocation"

23. "The Woman in White"

24. "Adding Color"

25. "Witness"

26. "Semper Fidelis"

27. "At the End of the Day"

28. "True Bearing"

29. "Paranoia"

30. "The Weight of Water"

31. "Body Paint"

32. "Our Time"

33. "Last Night"

34. "Cabin Fever"

35. "The Seven Year Itch"

36. "Secrets"

37. "Red Menace"

38. "Hanging by a Moment"

39. "Close Quarters"

40. "Mile High Club"

41. "Angel"

42. "Come Hither"

43. "Mr Right"

44. "Sarsaparilla II"

45. "Thirty Candles"

46. "The Last Seduction"

47. "Don't Think Twice"

48. "Games"

49. "Just Once"

50. "Crash and Burn"

51. "The Big Tease"

52. "Lost and Found"

53. "The Face of Donna"

54. "Essential"

55. "Indispensable"

56. "Playing Favourites"

57. "The Green-Eyed Monster"

58. "The Name Game"

59. "Nothing Sacred"

60. "Kiss and Tell"

61. "The Ghost of Christmas Past"

62. "No Funny Business"

63. "Locked Lips"

64. "Impossible Things"

65. "There's Something About Liz"

66. "Always a First Time"

67. "Always a First Time II"

68. "Mother Knows Best"

69. "Public Display of Affection"

70. "May the Best Man Win"

71. "How to Imitate Friends and Influence People"

72. "Let's Pretend this Bed is an Island"

73. "Priceless"

74. "The Wish List"

75. "Indigo Eyed Girl"

76. "Diamond in the Rough"

77. "Quid Pro Quo"

78. "Restraint is Overrated"

79. "Tasting the Lemon"

80. "Beth and the Bear"

81. "Pin-Up"

82. "Causing a Scene"

83. "Contract of Marriage"

84. "Lost Time"

85. "Virgin Territory"

86. "His Brother's Keeper"

87. "Addicted to Love"

88. "Five Easy Steps to Getting Your Best Friend Naked (A Practical Guide for Secretly In Love BFFs)"

89. "Past Midnight"

90. "Into-Me-See"

91. "Lip Service" *

92. "The One Where Liz is Late" *

93. "A Beautiful Mess" *

94. "Relapse"

95. "You've Got Indecent Mail"

96. "The Replacement"

97. "The Same Only Different"

98. "Dealmaker"

99. "Second Chance to Make a First Choice"

100. "The Joy of Sex (or You're Doing It Wrong!)"

101. "Foreplay"

102. "Intimacy Issues"

103. "Imperfect Together"

104. "This is Gonna Hurt Like Hell"

105. "Life Changes"

106. "Never Say Never"

107. "Keeping Up Appearances"

108. "My Best Friend's Friend's Wedding"

109. "Three Little Words"

110. "Something Stupid" *

111. "Spoon"

112. "Lover's Delight"

113. "Debrief" *

114. "One Regret" *

115. "Superman Meets Geek Girl"

116. "Impulse Control"

117. "Research and Debauchery"

118. "What Comes Naturally"

119. "Baby Daddy"

120. "Drive to Distraction"

121. "Intercoursing 101"

122. "Got Your Back"

123. "Soft Spot"

124. "60 Days"

125. "Unhappily Ever After"

126. "A Piece of Jack"

127. "Double Take"

128. "Unfinished Business" *

129. "Date Night"

130. "Taste Test"

131. "Hidden Possibilities" *

132. "Twilight Trip" *

133. "The Ugly Truth" *

134. "Any Other Name" *

135. "The Old Grab and Kiss Manoeuvre"

136. "The Uninvited" *

137. "Cat in the Cradle"

138. "Friends and Lovers"

139. "The Best One of the Best Ones"

140. "A Bird in the Hand"

141. "Slapstick" *

142. "The Answer" *

143. "Keeping Up Appearances II"

144. "The Wrong People"

145. "Family Planning" *

146. "Jack's Women" *

147. "The Exception" *

148. "Keeping Up Appearances III"

149. "The Three Paths of Jack Donaghy"

150. "What the People Want"

151. "Three's Company" *

152. "Pushing Boundaries" *

153. "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang" *

154. "Matchmaker, Matchmaker"

155. "How Not to Save a Life"

156. "Spice It Up"

157. "Fake it 'til You Make it"

158. "The Day of the Lemon"

159. "Intercourse Companions"

160. "Party of One" *

161. "Accidentally Sexy"

162. "Dirty Tricks"

163. "School for Seduction"

164. "An Adult Dude and Lady Situation"

165. "Me and My Shadow"

166. "The Candyman" *

167. "Two of a Kind"

168. "The Truth About Us"

169. "Asked and Answered"

170. "A Marriage of True Minds"

171. "Closure"

172. "For Your Consideration"

173. "Like Colin Firth Said"

174. "Pillow Talk" *

175. "For Your Consideration II"

176. "More Than This"

177. "The Good Girl"

178. "For Your Consideration III"

179. "Baby Got Back" *

180. "The Unchosen One"

181. "Gentlemen Prefer Brunettes" *

182. "Mirror, Mirror"

183. "Bedroom Blaze" *

184. "No Such Thing as a Mistake"

185. "A Dance of Desire"

186. "The Not-So-Puzzling Puzzle of the Missing Dwarf (or What Happens When You Combine Alcohol, Medication and Aphrodisiacs)" *

187. "Consuming Lunch and Simple Socializing"

188. "An Impossibility"

189. "Seven Hours in Hell"

190. "Safe House"

191. "Giving Up the Fight"

192. "First and Last"

193. "Inspiration"

194. "A Spell is Cast"

195. "Diversionary Tactics"

196. "Someday"

197. "Full Exposure"

198. "An Acquired Taste"

199. "Going Public"

200. "The Real Deal"

(Asterisks indicate all the stories not archived here (I think...). Really keen beans can find them at my Livejournal page. (Please note: I have two! You need to find me as mindymakru for "30 Rock", mindymakrutu for "Castle") Any difficulty finding me, please let me know. Thanks for reading! :)


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